Ylang-ylang oil

Ylang Ylang oil is made from the flowers of the Cananga odorata genuina plant.

Ylangylang oil is applied to the skin to promote relaxation, kill bacteria, lower high blood pressure and increase sexual desire. It is also part of a combination product in spray form that is used to kill head lice.

In food, ylang ylang oil is used as a flavoring agent. In industrial production, ylang ylang oil is used as a fragrance for cosmetics and soap.

How does ylang ylang oil work?

There is not enough information available to say how ylang ylang oil might work as a medicine.

How effective is ylang ylang oil?

There is not enough scientific data to say how effective ylang ylang oil applied to the skin is when used to treat an infestation of head lice. Recent research suggests that a skin spray containing ylang ylang oil, anise oil and coconut oil is 92% effective when used against head lice in children. This spray appears to work about as well as a spray containing pesticides such as permethrin. There is also not enough scientific information on the effectiveness of ylang ylang oil applied to the skin to treat high blood pressure, promote relaxation and increase sexual desire. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of ylang ylang oil in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Ylang ylang oil appears to be safe and harmless for children and adults in the amounts found in food. It also appears to be safe and harmless when applied to the scalp in combination with other plant extracts. There is not enough information to say whether orally ingested ylang ylang oil is safe and harmless in amounts exceeding normal dietary levels and what possible side effects it may have.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Ylang Ylang oil is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women in quantities that are normal for food. However, larger medicinal quantities should be avoided until more is known about its safety.

Interactions

At this time, there is no information on interactions of ylang ylang oil with medications or supplements.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of ylang ylang oil depends on various factors such as age, health status and others. At the present time, there is insufficient scientific data to make a statement about appropriate dosage ranges for ylang ylang oil. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

Mumcuoglu KY, Miller J, Zamir C, et al. The in vivo pediculicidal efficacy of a natural remedy. Isr Med Assoc J 2002;4:790-3. View abstract.